ShareMatch taps Footballco to drive launch of Shariah-compliant sports investing platform

ShareMatch has struck a strategic media and customer acquisition partnership with Footballco ahead of its market debut later this year. The deal gives ShareMatch access to Footballco’s football audiences across Saudi Arabia and the wider MENA region, where the company plans to launch its Agentic AI sports investing platform.

Why it matters: - ShareMatch is trying to reach fans in Saudi Arabia and the broader MENA region before its full launch later this year. - The partnership gives the fintech startup access to Footballco’s large football audience, including 179 million Arabic-speaking fans across the region. - The deal is aimed at driving user acquisition for a Shariah-compliant sports investing platform built around Agentic AI. - Football is ShareMatch’s biggest market opportunity, even though the platform is designed for multiple sports.

What happened: - ShareMatch announced a strategic media and customer acquisition partnership with Footballco. - The collaboration is meant to support ShareMatch’s official market launch later this year. - The rollout will use Footballco’s media footprint across Saudi Arabia and the MENA region. - The campaign will run across Footballco properties in Saudi Arabia and the GCC in the coming months.

The details: - Footballco reaches more than 800 million fans monthly across web, app, social and video channels. - The partnership centers on Footballco brands including GOAL, Kooora, Yalla Goal and Yalla Fans. - ShareMatch says the platform combines autonomous intelligence, real-time sports data and transparent ethical finance structures. - The company says its HAL AI engine will work with Footballco’s Goal-e AI infrastructure. - The collaboration will give users access to football content and data from GOAL and Kooora. - ShareMatch says the system will turn passive content consumption into informed, Shariah-compliant investment decisions. - The partnership is designed to support Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals tied to sports-sector expansion and financial innovation.

Between the lines: - The deal links a sports media company with a fintech platform to create a built-in distribution channel at launch. - ShareMatch is positioning ethical investing and AI as the main hooks for sports fans, not just football audiences. - The reference to on-chain access for the global population of 1.5 billion digital Muslims signals a broader ambition beyond the initial launch market. - ShareMatch and Footballco are framing the partnership around a long runway that extends toward the 2030 World Cup in Morocco and the 2034 World Cup in Saudi Arabia.

What's next: - ShareMatch plans to roll out its user acquisition campaign over the coming months. - The company expects its full global platform launch later this year. - ShareMatch and Footballco say they intend to extend the partnership through the 2034 FIFA World Cup in Saudi Arabia. - ShareMatch also links its roadmap to major regional sports events, including the AFC Asian Cup 2027 and the 2030 FIFA World Cup in Morocco.